A father and son who built their legacy in hammer throw shared one of the biggest moments of the Asian Games opening ceremony on Saturday.Japan’s Shigenobu Murofushi and his son Koji Murofushi jointly lit the cauldron at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, bringing the torch relay to a memorable end.Both Shigenobu and Koji are former Asian Games champions in hammer throw. The duo climbed the stairs to the podium together before lighting the cauldron.The ceremony featured dance, music and fireworks as the Asian Games officially opened in Aichi-Nagoya.
From Olympic champion to father-son moment
The cauldron lighting was the final part of a relay involving some of Japan’s biggest sporting names.Women’s wrestler Fujinami Akari brought the torch into the stadium before passing it to four-time Olympic swimming champion Kitajima Kosuke.The torch then went to Ito Koji, a three-time gold medallist in athletics at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. Takahashi Ayaka, the 2016 Rio Olympics badminton women’s doubles champion, was next.
Shigenobu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi (Reuters Photo)
The torch was then handed to Koji Murofushi, the 2004 Athens Olympics hammer throw champion.The final torchbearer was his father, Shigenobu Murofushi, who won the Asian Games hammer throw title five times in a row.The two then came together to light the cauldron, which had a metallic design inspired by the shape of a heart.
Who is Shigenobu Murofushi?
Shigenobu Murofushi is one of Japan’s most successful hammer throwers. He competed at three Olympic Games — Munich 1972, Montreal 1976 and Los Angeles 1984.He also served as Japan’s flag-bearer at the 1984 Olympics.Murofushi initially tried sumo and shot put before taking up hammer throw. In 1984, he set a Japanese record of 75.96m. That mark remained the national record until his son Koji broke it in 1998.Shigenobu won the Asian Games hammer throw gold medal in 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982 and 1986. He also won silver in 1966.His Asian Games medal record includes five gold medals and one silver.He also won gold at the 1979 and 1981 Asian Championships.
Shigenobu’s Olympic journey
While Shigenobu dominated the Asian Games, an Olympic medal remained out of reach.He finished eighth at the 1972 Munich Olympics, 11th at Montreal 1976 and 15th at Los Angeles 1984.His son would later achieve what he could not at the Olympics.
Koji Murofushi followed his father’s footsteps
Koji started hammer throw at the age of 10 under the guidance of his father.He went on to become one of the leading hammer throwers in the world. Koji won the silver medal at the 2001 World Championships before claiming bronze in 2003.His biggest Olympic moment came at the 2004 Athens Games, where he won the hammer throw gold medal.He added an Olympic bronze at the 2012 London Games.Koji also became world champion in 2011 in Daegu.
Shigenobu Murofushi and Koji Murofushi (Reuters Photo)
Koji’s Asian Games medal record
Koji continued his family’s success at the Asian Games.He won gold in hammer throw at Bangkok in 1998 and Busan in 2002. He had earlier won silver at Hiroshima in 1994.His Asian Games record therefore includes two gold medals and one silver.Koji also won gold at the 2002 Asian Championships and three silver medals at the continental championships in 1993, 1995 and 1998.
A family legacy comes full circle
The Murofushis have now added another special chapter to their long sporting legacy.Shigenobu dominated the Asian Games in the 1970s and 1980s. Koji followed him into the event and later became an Olympic and world champion.On Saturday, the father and son stood together at the centre of the Asian Games opening ceremony — not to compete, but to light the flame that officially began the Games.
Glittering opening ceremony
The 20th Asian Games officially began in Nagoya with a two-hour opening ceremony at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. Japan’s Emperor Naruhito officially declared the Games open. Empress Masako, members of the Japanese imperial family, Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry were also present at the ceremony.The event started with the Japanese national anthem and the raising of the national flag. Nine members of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces carried the flag to the stage before it was hoisted.The stadium was then turned dark, with a spotlight focused on the Japanese flag.The ceremony was followed by the parade of athletes. Teams from 45 nations and regions took part, along with the OCA Refugee Team, taking the total number of participating delegations to 46.
